Manufacture of sign-board letters and the like.



` No. 861,716.` PATENTED .JULY 30, 19507.

F. EBERT. MANUFAGTURE OF SIGN BOARD LETTERS ANDTHE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1906.

wf A/Ess 5 FRANZ EBERT, OF LEIPZIG, GERMANY.

MANUFACTURE OF SIGN-BOARD LETTERS AND THE LIKE.

Speeieation of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed May 12,1906.l Serial No.316,582.

To all whom tmay concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ EBERT, merchant, a subject ofthe German Emperor, residing at ll Thomasgasse, Leipzig, in the Empire of Germany, have invented new and useful Improvements in and Relating to the Manufacture of Sign-Board Letters and the Like, ot' which the iollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of signboard letters, which have the appearance oi being made of raised or molded ground glass or carved in wood.

The method consists substantially in painting the actual shape of the letters or the like on the rear side of a glass plate in suitable colors, bronzeor the like, then covering the remainder of the glass plate with a paint coating with the exception oi a strip bordering each letter either all round or only along certain edges, and securing a plate behind each letter which plate covers both the shape oi the letter and the transparent strips surrounding it and lat the places corresponding to these strips, exhibits a prismatic, hollow bar shaped, or other suitable molding or iiuting. The plate may extend over several letters together with the transparent strips bordering them.

To allow of the invention being better understood, the formation of one of these improved signboard letters will now be explained, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures l and 2 arerespectively a plan view and edge View of the plate with its tin foil coating on which the letter is to appear. Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views after the paint or like coating has been applied. Fig. 5 is a v plan view of the letter plate to be attached. Figs.

6 and 7 are views similar to l and 2of the completed plate. Figs. 8 and 9 are similar views of a modification.

A glass plate l, Figs. 1 and 2, on which plate the letters are to appear, is first coated on the rear side with a layer of tinfoil 2, in which the shape of the letter or character 3, is cut out. The transparent place thereby formed is then coated with paint, lacquer, bronzing or the like, and then the tinioil is removed with the exception of a strip bordering all round the shape of the letter. The exposed surface 5 is coated with paint and after the latter has dried, the strip o tinfoil is also removed, so that these places 4 (Figs. 3 and 4) are new transparent. A plate 6, which, in the example shown,

has a prismatic curved section at the parts corresponding to the transparent places oi the glass plate (Fig. 5) is now attached under the letters and also covers these transparent strips. Ii the letter, as in the example shown, be surrounded on all sides by the transparent strips, the curved plate 6 (Figs. G and 7) shows beneath the letter on both sides thereof a grooved molding which is trapeZoid-shaped in section. This liuting or molding is also coated with a suitable color, bronze or the like; for instance, the shape oi the letter is painted on the rear side of the glass plate in white paint,

similar to ground glass letters, and the fiuting or molding of the plate or at least its prismatic parts, gilded. Letters or characters made in this way give by their appearance the impression oi a raised ground glass letter. I the letter is to imitate a letter carved in wood and covered with a glass plate, a transparent plate is first treated in the same way as the glass plate in the tirst example of construction, so that here again flat shape 3 oi the character is surrounded on all sides by transparent strips 4 which in turn are bordered by a coating of paint or the like 5. Under the letters a plate 7 covering them is then secured which plate is shaped to correspond with the transparent strips and is provided with hollow moldings or iiutings and rests with the edges oi these moldings close against the glass plate. (Figs. 8 and 9). Several letters or the like may thus be simultaneously covered by a plate provided with suitable hollow moldings.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The method of making sign board letters which consists in painting letters on the rear side of a glass plate which is coated with paint excepting as to transparent portions which receive the painted letter and which are sufiiciently large to form transparent strips bordering the letters, and in fixing behind each letter so painted a plate of corresponding,l shape and sutliciently large to cover both the painted letter' and the bordering transparent strips, and which has at places corresponding,l to these strips a prismatic hollow bar-shaped or other suitable tlutingor molding, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANZ EBER'L.

Witnesses HENRY HASIER, WoLDnMAa HAUPT. 

